Talking Eyes with Lien Trinh

Guest: Dr Ben La Hood, specialist refractive surgeon and global education leader Episode Summary Laser vision correction is one of those topics people are fascinated by, but also a bit scared to take the next step on. In this season finale, Lien and Dr Ben La Hood break it down in plain language: what laser eye surgery actually means, how it reshapes the cornea, how modern procedures differ from o...

Episode guests A/Prof Holly Chinnery – University of Western Australia and Lions Eye Institute Corneal Immunology & Inflammation Research Fellow Professor Laura Downie – University of Melbourne Ocular Surface & Anterior Eye Clinician-Scientist Dr CeeCee Britten-Jones – University of Melbourne Senior Research Fellow Mona – dry eye sufferer Episode summary Dry eye is something almost everyon...

By 2050, half of the world’s population is expected to be myopic — and that comes with serious risks to lifelong vision. In this episode, host Lien Trinh speaks with Dr Nina Tahhan about how modern lifestyles are reshaping the way our eyes grow, why earlier onset is such a concern, and how cornea-based interventions such as soft myopia-control lenses and orthokeratology can slow progression and pr...

Summary Contact lenses have come a long way. In this episode, Martin Robinson — practicing optometrist of 30+ years and National President of the Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia — joins Lien to unpack the journey from early glass and hydrogels to today’s breathable silicone hydrogels, multifocals, toric multifocals, and what’s coming next. We get real about comfort, dryness, hygiene...

Guest: Heather Machin , Head of the Lions Eye Donation Service (Melbourne); Chair, Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations Eye donation is about science, compassion, and community. Heather Machin lifts the lid on how eye banks honour donors and families, prepare tissue for surgery and research, and help restore sight in Australia and around the world—while navigating ethics, regulation, and the f...

Guest: Professor Mark Daniell , Head of Corneal Research, Centre for Eye Research Australia In this episode, we unpack what a corneal transplant actually involves, why rejections happen, and how modern “layered” (lamellar) techniques like DSAEK/DMEK are changing recovery and outcomes. Mark also lifts the curtain on tissue-engineered corneas—how expanding a single donor could help treat more people...

Guest: Larry Kornhauser , President of Keratoconus Australia In this episode, we flip the usual script and learn about keratoconus through lived experience. Our guest is Larry Kornhauser, co-founder and President of Keratoconus Australia and a tireless advocate for patients nationwide. Larry was diagnosed as a schoolkid in the 1960s, underwent a corneal transplant at 18, and has spent the past two...

Guest:  Dr. Karl David Brown, Chief Scientist, Centre for Eye Research Australia The cornea might look simple—a clear “window” at the front of the eye—but it’s one of the most complex and vital parts of vision. In this episode, host  Lien Trinh  is joined by Dr. Karl Brown, a leading researcher in corneal biology and tissue engineering, to unpack what the cornea really is, how it wo...

Welcome to Talking Eyes—a podcast about eye care research, clinical insights, and the everyday experiences of people living with vision conditions. Hosted by optometrist Lien Trinh, the show brings together experts and personal stories to make eye health both accessible and meaningful. Season 1, Talking Retina, took listeners on a journey into the back of the eye—exploring conditions, treatments,...

Thank you for tuning in to Season 1 Talking Retina. This season, we’ve covered so many things, so a quick recap. Ass Prof Lauren Ayton and I introduced you to the retina and inherited retinal diseases. Prof Andrew Turpin and I discussed vision testing, what AI is and its potential roles and setbacks in eye care. Prof Robyn Guymer helped us understand where research for macular degeneration is at a...

Episode 8: Fixing the Code for Inherited Retinal Diseases How does Lego relate to Genetics? In our final episode of our Talking Retina series, we have a very interesting chat with Dr. Tom Edwards , head of the Gene Therapy Research unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia about how gene therapy works, how it might look in people receiving treatment, and the process from research to clinical d...

Associate Professor Anai Gonzalez-Cordero is a research scientist at the Children’s Medical Research Institute who joins me to discuss regenerative medicine and this incredible exciting possibility for vision restoration. We begin our discussion with the very basics of what stem cells can do, how we are now able to produce them without using embryonic tissue, what disease modeling is and excitingl...

Have you ever wondered what sort of nutrition advice is best for vision, for eye health and importantly, to prevent eye disease? Feeding your eyes is the very beginning of a conversation on nutrition for eye health. Professor John Nolan , the founder and director of the Nutrition Research Centre in Ireland, joins me to discuss the ingredients needed to improve and retain our vision. We deep dive i...

Associate Professor Penelope Allen is a leading expert in ophthalmology and a pivotal figure in the Australian Bionic Eye project. Join us as she delves into the fascinating journey of this initiative, from its inception and the brilliant minds behind it to the many challenges they have faced along the way. We'll also hear about the outcomes of the first and second clinical trials, offering hope a...

This week I'm joined by special guest Associate Professor Lauren Ayton to discuss inherited retinal diseases. One time not long ago, there was very little we could do to change the prognosis of inherited retinal diseases. People with Retinitis Pigmentosa. Choroideremia. Leber congenital amaurosis. Stargardt's disease. To name but a few. All conditions we previously monitored, and could only counse...

Episode 3: Age-Related Macular Degeneration From the godmother of age-related macular degeneration research, this podcast touches on all the things a clinician diagnosing and monitoring AMD needs to know right now about this condition: how it affects a person, staging and recording it, past, current and new treatment, and potential emerging knowledge and innovations. About our guest Professor Roby...

This episode explores the intersection of eye health, technology and artificial intelligence with Professor Andrew Turpin, the Chair of Ophthalmic Data at the Lions Eye Institute jointly appointed at Curtin University. Andrew is a computer scientist with niche skills in eye health, whose research adds a unique perspective to eye care and the advancement of eye care technologies. Together, we delve...

In our inaugural introductory episode on the retina, we chat about historical perspectives on the role of the retina in vision, its important features, how we can see them, and things that might go wrong. We try not to blow your minds too much in this introductory episode, but my guest Lauren, just cannot help herself! About our guest A/Prof Lauren Ayton: Lauren co-leads the Retinal Gene Therapy U...

I’m Lien Trinh, your host of Talking Eyes, a groundbreaking Australian podcast dedicated to exploring the latest advancements in eye research. We’ll be translating these golden nuggets into tangible clinical practices, and help non-clinicians navigate your own interests in eye health and future possibilities. You, may be a vision tester. You, may be experiencing vision impairment. You, may have a...